I had a meaningful conversation with a friend the other day. She asked me a simple but powerful question:
“What is so bad about religion?”
Instead of giving a quick answer, we sat together and talked. We listened. And I was incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have an honest conversation.
When I left that conversation, I realized something important.
Since writing my first book, Created to Relate: Living Beyond Religion, I have not taken enough time to sit with my readers and unpack some of the words I use throughout the book.
Words like:
Religion
Legalism
Pharisee
Repentance
Transformation
Freedom
Love
Even the word love deserves deeper conversation because God’s love is not defined the same way the world defines love.
There are many other words we could add to this list.
Words that we often hear. Words that carry experiences, emotions, and assumptions. Words that can create misunderstandings before we ever take the time to truly understand what God’s Word says about them.
That is why I believe it is important to slow down, dig deeper, and begin uncovering the truth.
Sometimes we need to pull back the layers of what we have always assumed. Sometimes we need to weed out misconceptions and preconceived ideas that have taken root in our hearts.
As I prepare to bring out Book 2, Living Beyond Religion Together: Rediscovering Community Through Relationship with Jesus, part of my preparation is creating space for these conversations.
So I invite you to join me as we dig deeper together.
My prayer is that this will be a safe place for honest questions, meaningful conversations, and a willingness to look closely at God’s Word.
Together, let’s uncover truth, remove misunderstandings, and discover more deeply who Jesus is and what it means to truly walk with Him.
love,
Des
I am so looking forward to digging into your new book!